Immunohistochemical staining of feline malignant fibrous histiocytomas

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma was diagnosed in seven cats from biopsy specimens received at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory during a 4-year period from 1987-1991. Tissue blocks from formalin-fixed specimens were resectioned and stained for type I (AE1) and type II (AE3) cytokeratins, desmin, S100 protein, vimentin, and alpha 1-antitrypsin by the avidin biotin peroxidase complex method with diaminobenzidine (DAB) chromogen. None of the tumors stained positively for alpha 1-antitrypsin. Four of seven of the tumors had similar immunohistochemical staining results, with positive staining for type I and type II cytokeratins, desmin, S100 protein, and vimentin. Of the remaining three, one stained positively only for S100 protein and vimentin; one stained positively for vimentin only; and one was negative for all six antigens. Based only on immunohistochemical staining results, three of the tumors could possibly be reclassified: one as a melanoma, one as a probable fibrosarcoma, and one as unknown. These results also indicate that feline malignant fibrous histiocytomas show a diversity of intermediate filament expression, as do human tumors. Our results also do not support the theory that malignant fibrous histiocytomas are of histiocytic origin.